The transition to e-mobility isn’t a walk in the park. From the lack of financial incentives for potential EV clients to technological challenges, car manufacturers around the world are working around the clock to make it happen, eg. testing out increasingly more innovative solutions. Volkswagen Group is preparing to launch their newest EV model – Audi e-tron quattro electric SUV.
What makes this car unique? The difference lies in regenerative braking. Thanks to this solution – the first ever in the industry – the car can get as much as 30% more range, making it possible to drive for more than 400 kilometres. The combination of dual motor powertrain and the new electro-hydraulically integrated brake system allows the car to decelerate electrically, using the regen electric motor, the wheel brake, or a combination of the two, depending on the situation. Thus, the braking distance is shortened by up to 20%. Let’s think for a moment about how much that 20 % can change. During downhill driving tests, the prototype managed to recuperate nearly 300 Nm of torque and 220 kW of electric power. That is more than 70% of its operating energy input, and it adds 1 km of range for each one travelled downhill!
This solution is part of VW Group’s attempts at “one-pedal driving”, which is the industry’s name for using only the accelerator. The driver will be able to choose between three stages of coasting recuperation when the accelerator pedal is released. The lowest stage means no additional drag torque. The highest stage, on the other hand, will reduce the speed noticeably. Thus, we won’t have to use brake at all.
Audi e-tron quattro will be compatible with 150-kilowatt charging, which means the users will be able to recharge the battery for a 300 km drive in just 30 minutes. To compare those numbers –Tesla’s Supercharger stations only provide 120 kilowatts chargers.
What’s more, electric cars have another big advantage over conventional ones. It’s the interior space, which is bigger because there’s no need for a transmission tunnel and no mechanical link between the front and rear wheels. There’s also a Polish accent in the German car – the body of the vehicle was designed by Kamil Łabanowicz.
Volkswagen Group has certainly set up high standards for other manufacturers, but perhaps this competition will result in even more amazing innovations which will make our lives easier. The future of mobility and financing the “cars of tomorrow” was one of the paths at Impact mobility rEvolution’18 congress in Katowice, Poland. The Strategic Partner of the event was Volkswagen Financial Services.
